Kiss of Winter
by OMG Theo James
Summary: Claire Roth the daughter of Grace and Sam is facing challenges of her own. After dating Nathan and entering High School, Claire found out that sometimes in life do change. But that's not enough to face until another boy is bitten. Claire and Nathan must discover and unwrap some secrets about the wolves that if told it could ruin anybody. The Kiss of Winter can change anybody-


**Claire**

.. .. .. ..

I looked out my car window covered in pure white snow. It was only Christmas break two weeks ago and the weather was catching up for what it missed. I felt a gust of wind brush against my neck sending a shiver down my spine.

I looked at the school through my review mirror big and large, made of red and brown clay bricks. I knew what eleventh grade meant, more responsibilities, more chances, and higher challenges.

I parked the car parallel in the parking lot, grabbed my cream and beige school bag and hung it on my shoulder sighing as I did so. I retied my brown leather boots and readjusted the grey beanie that was falling from my head of light brown hair. I shut the car door and headed for the school. watching as parents drove by dropping off their kids the smirks on their faces. I stood against a brick wall waiting for Nathan to come up with his brother Braden walking behind him. He'd hug me and tell me how much he missed me since he was gone the entire break in Denver visiting family.

I caught a snowflake in the palm of my knitted gloved hand. I watched as it melt before me, my blue eyes watching the process. I saw a navy blue pick up truck come roaring down the street with Nathan in the driver's seat and Braden in the passenger's seat. I smiled and waved as he parked the car in the parking lot and slammed the car door shut.

His brown hair covering part of his face, from his jogging to keep warm and Braden lagging behind. I dusted off some snow of the sole of my boot and tapped it on the pavement. Nathan came up to me grinning with his hands in his shirt pocket, and his cheeks flushed by the weather. I ran up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

We walked into the school and searched around for our lockers a hot steaming cup of coffee in hand. "So how was your summer?" I asked scratching the back of my neck my hands cold against my warm skin. "Good, although I sun burnt my shoulder really bad." I laughed even though what Nathan said wasn't funny I just liked hearing the sound of his voice.

The clock ticked and ticked as minutes went by while we walked down the halls our free hands tangled together. "So how was yours?" I blushed, I saw him begin to blush as well. "Awesome, although I didn't get sun burnt." I smirked and he laughed knowing I was only messing with him. It was our basic system. He said something unfunny and I made fun of him for it. Same thing happened to me, I said something not worth telling and I would get joked for it by Nathan.

I placed both of my hands around my coffee to keep the warm. I leaned my head against his non-burnt shoulder. My ears rang as I heard the school bell ringing for passing period.

**Nathan**

** .. .. .. .. ..**

I watched her as she ran to her class. Her important papers falling out of her filled binder. I sighed and ran my fingers through my brown hair while I rocked back in my desk. I heard the tapping noise as the teacher wrote on the white board with a marker. I kicked my feet under my desk as I listened to his instructions on how to add, subtract, divide, and multiply fractions.

I looked up at the ceiling imaging Claire and I walking through the Golden Wood behind her house. Us leaning against a tree, me strumming my guitar singing about her. And Claire leaning her head against my shoulder an open notebook in her lap balancing a pencil on the open page. Our legs crossed together and our breaths even. That was what I wanted to be free and happy with her. But no matter what I tried it never seemed to work.

I wrote down a section of lyrics that kept playing through my head in the margin of my paper. The teacher was still getting used to our names since the old one quit. And she had not yet called on mine, although I knew it was coming. Minutes passed by on the clock, I looked back at the whiteboard. Algebra and fractions written in all kinds of formulas. Somehow they ended up on my paper. So I had paid attention.

**Claire**

** .. .. .. ..**

I leaned back in my chair as I took notes on a recent video we had to watch in science about water and water evaporating itself. I drew a picture of a water droplet in the margin of my paper. it looked so realistic from my point of view.

The bell finally ran for lunch and my stomach wouldn't stop growling since I had gotten to class. I didn't have enough time to warm up a Hot Pocket or make myself an omelet so I just left with my stomach hungry. I grabbed my school bag and through all my supplies in it then walked out of class with my friend Payton.

I was walking to my locker when I saw a noticed pinned on the Bolten board above the Attendance area. I stopped and read it. "A young boy was attacked last Friday night while hunting in the woods with his father. Family says the wolves have something to do with it." I stopped reading and stood there giving myself the cold stare. Oh god I remembered the year before I was born State offal's and hunters went on a rapid killing wolf spree. And by the looks of it they were done.

"Claire did you hear about Jeffery?" My friend Steffony asked pulling her burnet hair into a high pony tail her bangs still covering part of her face. I nodded while I took a bite of my chicken sandwich. "It's awful." Payton said crossing her arms. Typical Payton she tended to get a little to dramatic when stuff like this happens. "You know she probably, read it on the Bolten board." My friend Danielle chimed in crossing her legs as she sat down at the little picnic table.

"Dani come on it was all over the news my parents won't even let me go for walks in the woods anymore." Steffony complained opening her lunch box. I sat my sandwich down and sipped from my can of V8 strawberry and banana juice. "I didn't even hear about it until now." I replied eyeing Nathan walk over.

"That's a shame." Danielle said while filing her nails. Steffony and I faced each other. "Such a know it all." I whispered. She shook her head and Danielle glanced over at me and gave me a look. I shrugged and tensed my shoulders as Nathan sat down. "Dammit Claire why does he always have to sit with us?!" She asked her voice rising. "Hmm I don't know maybe because he's my boyfriend!" I shouted back at her. She glared at me and walked away.

** Nathan**

** .. .. .. .. ..**

I knew how much Danielle disliked me after she knew wolves just killed her brother and she thought it was my fault. But I didn't care about that right now I just wanted to be alone and happy with Claire.

I pulled out my lunch which my mother had packed a lousy one. I looked at the posters that hung around the café saying WANTED with a picture of wolves on it. I sighed and looked over at Claire. "Hey um Claire you want to hang out after school?" I asked hoping she would say yes to me. She sat down her can and looked me in the eyes. her blue eyes looking in my brown ones. "I can't my parents will want me home pronto after this thing with the wolves." She replied sighing.

I frowned and looked up at the television. "Oh, that's ok." I replied dunking my hand. "But you know maybe later after I talk with my parents you can come over and we can talk about this wolf thing just you and I." She replied. I nodded and she smiled then turned her attention to the flat screen TV that hung in the corner above the Alacart lunch line.

It made me feel uncomfortable after I heard about the wolves. We didn't need another killing spree but that still meant no one in this world is safe with them alive. I knew what Claire was thinking she wanted to come up with a plan to save the wolves, I realized her father Samuel Roth might know happened to him or at least have an idea. Her parents were really intelligent when it came to solving problems about the wolves. And we desperately needed answers.

I saw the lunch bell was about to ring so Steffony, Payton, Claire and I got up and threw away our trash, a popcorn kernel still stuck in the back of my throat. Claire laughed and readjusted her beanie. Claire and I walked in to the big home room classroom and sat down at two empty seats upfront. She pulled out her grey binder, grey mechanical pencil, a blank sheet of paper, and crossed her arms on her desk.

"You ok?" I asked as I bent down to grab my binder and pencil. "Yeah, it's just this thing about Jeffery and the wolves is making me nauseous. And I have a terrible headache. I rubbed her back. "Don't worry we'll figure this out." She sighed and laid her head on her arms. Something was wrong with her and these wolves that kept killing people.

Mr. Williams walked in the classroom holding a clip board with an attachable pencil and a cup of hot tea in the other. Claire sat up and walked over to his desk her planner and pencil in hand. "Mr. Williams can I please go down to the nurse's office. My headache is killing me." He looked at her flushed cheeks and signed her planner. "Alright but I want a note back Ms. Roth." She nodded and took her planner then opened the door and she was gone.

** Claire**

** .. .. .. ..**

I walked into the nurses office noticing kids lying on there backs on the lounge chairs probably from a stomach ache I guessed. I sat down in the waiting room and rubbed my head. The nurse saw me and walked over with a clipboard. "Name?" I perked my head up. "Claire Roth." She wrote it down and by the looks of my face realized I had a headache.

She came back and handed me two tablets of ibuprofen. "Now take only one when you headache starts acting up." I took the Ziploc bag and handed her my planner. Se gradually took it and wrote a note on the back, then handed it back to me and sent me back up to class. I opened the door, found my spot by Nathan and sat back down.

"What did I miss?" His heard jerked and turned around to face me. "Nothing but a stupid introduction on a new project." I sighed. "Oh lovely." We smirked and put a title, and date on our paper. All we needed was another load of homework now that another quarter was starting. "Damn I was hoping we weren't going to have any." I whispered as anger ran through my voice.

I leaned my head on my arm and looked over the green sheet that included the project instructions and grading rubric. "Hell, this thing is due in a week Nate." I was furious not only did we not need more homework but it was a five page assignment and it was due next week. Did my mother go through this when she went to High School? I knew my father didn't he was tortured as a child by his birthparents then my grandfather Beck adopted him. The thought of it made me shiver.

Finally after all my boring classes the school day was over. I rushed to my locker and reached inside for my Hollister jacket. Nathan caught up to me and leaned on Natalie's locker which was next to mine his cheeks still flushed and my head still hurting.

"Claire call me when you get home and I'll be over. I have to drop Braden off at the library he totaled his car so I'm his ride now." I laughed and reached for my binder and my textbook, and placed them in the bag. "Ok, I'm sure my parents are defiantly wanting to talk to me after this thing on Jeffery and the wolves." He sighed and smiled. "Ok, then see you later." He walked off and I waved while grabbing my converse school bag and hung it over my shoulder closing my locker door as I did so.

I pulled out my keys and walked to my car then placed them in the ignition and made my way home. I parked my car in the drive way and entered the house to find my mom sitting in the living room with a book in hand and my dad still at work. I threw my bag and coat on the floor and sat my keys and phone on the counter.

"Oh, Claire your home." My mom said as she walked over to me. "Did you hear about the..." Her voice trailed off. "Yeah, I heard about it." I sighed and leaned my hand against the beige wall by the dining room. "God, it's that damn killing spree again." Her voice sounded by the way she replied. I rubbed the snowflake that was on my necklace. "Hey mom, I was wondering if maybe Nathan could come over later after dad gets home." I shrugged my shoulders as I loosened them.

"I suppose but after you're father gets home." She pulled a piece of my hair and placed it behind my ear. I smiled and walked into the kitchen to search for a V8 banana strawberry juice. My Samsung Galaxy S4 rang on the marble counter top. I picked it up and searched through my contacts. I small sigh escaped me after I saw it was from.

**Nathan: hey can I come over yet?**

**Claire: no sorry, not until my dad gets home**

**Nathan: how long will that be?**

I looked back up at the clock it was only 4:30, I didn't want to ask my mom what time but to my surprise my dad walked through the door at exactly the right time. I texted back with a cloud of relief go away.

**Claire: on second thought he just arrived 3**

**Nathan: cool be there in 10**

**Claire: KK :)**

I sat my phone back down on the counter and walked up to my dad. He hugged my mother and kissed her forehead. "How are we?" He asked. My mom and I both laughed. "Sam! Come on don't greet us like that." She replied as she kissed his cheek. "Ok then. How are you Grace and Claire?" I winked. "Much better." My mom replied as she rubbed noses with him. "Claire has a friend coming over soon hon." He sat his keys down next to mine and sat down on the couch that was cream colored and fit for five people.

**Nathan**

.. .. .. .. ..

I looked through my window as I drove on the dim streets of Mercy Falls, to Claire's house. it had been awhile since I had last seen and I hardly remembered her house or how to get there. I turned on a street in Duluth and parked my car by the sidewalk of her house. I walked up to her door with nervousness flowing through me. I swallowed hard and knocked on her door.

I stood tapping my foot on the pavement and tapping my hand on my jeans gripping my keys tightly in the other. "Coming!" Claire shouted on the other end of the door, she held it open by prodding it with her toe. "Nathan." I walked inside and noticed her parents sitting on their sofa watching the news on Jeffery. _Dammit. _ I cursed quietly. Claire led me up to her room and closed the door. I sat down on her bed and watched her as she grabbed her laptop and sat down at the computer desk. I turned on the radio to 99.9 and laid on her bed gazing up at the ceiling enjoying a can of coke.

**_Oh yeah, They tell me I'm a bad boy All the ladies look at me and act coy I just like to put my hands up in the air I want that girl dancing over there_**

**_Look at the girl on the dancefloor She's amazing on the dancefloor When she moves, girl I want more Keep it going girl, like I got an encore You got me saying:_**

**_Go little bad girl, little bad girl  
Go little bad girl, little bad girl  
Go little bad girl, little bad girl  
Go little bad girl, go little bad girl_**

Claire searched on the internet for news about Jeffery. All she found were files and articles that told about his death but not as descriptive as we wanted it to be. Claire stood up and stretched as she took a sip of her V8. I looked at her appearance. A grey and white striped see through sweater, with a white tank underneath, dark blue super skinny jeans, white finger nails and toenails, and her hair short with the ends in line curled with her wand I got her for her birthday a year ago. I saw her grey beanie sitting on her desk on top of a stack of graded school papers.

I stood up and pressed my hand on the chair sitting my can down on the desk. "I can take over for you if you want." I suggested. She opened her eyes and walked back over to the chair and placed her hand on top of mine. "No, it's fine I want to do this." I let go of the chair and backed away. I sighed and looked up at the ceiling again. I heard footsteps down the hall. They were weightless but were noisy on the creaks of the carpet.

I heard the door creak open and found her dad's head peek through then opened the entire door. "How's the research going bug?" He asked eyeing his daughter but more me. "Ok." She replied smiling tapping her finger on the mouse connected to the keyboard. "Hello Nathan." I turned my head to face his and waved. "Hi Mr. Roth." He grinned a cheesy grin and walked back downstairs closing the door behind him. "Anything good yet?" I asked as I kneeled down next to her, leaning my elbow on the desk. "Nope just some damn stuff on how dearly he will be missed." I sighed and Claire did so to.

I noticed a black notebook lying in the middle of her room by her bookshelf. I walked over and picked it up. I opened it and walked back over to Claire, my eyes still scanning the pages. "What's this?" I asked as I closed it. She turned around and took it out of my hands. "Oh, just my song book." She replied and handed it back over to me. I sat back down on the bed and propped my feet up on her bed and looked at the lyrics on their pages.

**Claire**

** .. .. .. ..**

it seemed Nathan and I searched for hours on the internet and found it useless. I finally gave up and flew back on my bed beside Nathan. He ran his fingers through my hair as we laid there and listened to romantic pop songs play in the background about love. The ringing of his phone broke our silence. He sat up and answered it. He shut the phone's lid and leaned back onto the bed with me. "Dammit Claire I have to go get my brother." I sat up and felt my voice rushing as I replied he had sounded pissed once he replied to me. "Not yet." I whined grabbing ahold of his arm. I felt like crying I didn't want him to leave.

I stood up and slipped my converse on and led him to his car. He wrapped his arms around me into a tight hug, and then pulled back and retreated to his car. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle and rise as the cold bit furiously at my skin. I ran backside and lagged over to the couch. My mom saw the look on my face and handed me a glass of water and then she retreated back to the kitchen to fix dinner. "Do you feel like you are going to shift?" My dad asked. My stomach churned as I took a sip of the refreshing water.

"Maybe." I finished the glass and retreated up to my room falling back onto my bed once I arrived. I placed my arms underneath my head and gazed up at the ceiling. I could imagine myself as a wolf. Running freely through the golden wood. My paws once again padding at the deep under bush beneath. I could picture Nathan me holding hands as I had ran out of the wood from being a wolf. His hand in mine, and mine in his. our cheeks pressed together.

I pressed my comforter to my face. I could smell my Beautiful Day perfume and my wolf stench. After Nathan lying on it I found little spots where it smelt like his cologne. my stomach continued to churn. I didn't want to shift. Not yet. I wanted to finish my year being an 11th grader and still go on many more dates with Nathan before I would shift and loose myself.

I continued to listen to the music playing in the background. I spotted my CD's of popular song artists I had favored. I found my Bastille CD and Ellie Goulding CD underneath some of my graded papers from school. they were somehow still placed on my shelf in alphabetical order. I heard my dad's car pull out of the driveway. I looked at the pictures of wolves I had on my dresser. My vision felt hazy, and my cheeks felt hot.

I felt my wolf self coming loose. I was loosing myself exactly what Nathan had told me not to loose. I felt my clothing grow tighter to my body as I grew more into my wolf form. I opened my eyes. Everything was black and blurry I couldn't see anything in front of me. I suddenly passed out on the floor with aloud thud. I could have screamed for my parents but I didn't. I could have tried to fight the pain but I didn't. I was always prepared when ever I shifted so I didn't feel unopened to the pack. I felt myself loose myself I as I just laid there and let me be unaware of what was going to happen next.

**Nathan**

.. .. .. .. ..

I tapped my hand on my steering wheel as I drove down the crowded streets and back to my calm and quiet house. I rolled down the window and let the frigid air bite my cheek. I hoped Claire wouldn't shift, this was the perfect weather for her to loose her human form and I couldn't let that happen. But I wasn't the one in charge who decided when Claire shifted. Nobody was. I ran my cold fingers through my hair and sighing as I turned on my street. I opened my car door and made my way inside my house to find Tom Culpeper talking to my parents. Usually not a good sign.

I ignored him as he gave me look and headed to my room. My German Shepard following behind me at my heels. I thought of her as I sat on the ledge of the window seal twirling a strand of fur in between my fingers. I thought of her going through unbearable pain as she tried not to shift. I prayed to wouldn't. I wanted Claire. I needed her. She wanted and needed me back and I knew it. I glanced over at my guitar lying on its side beside my night stand. Probably not the best way to treat it.

I felt the wind blow hard against my cheek as the curtains blew around the room. I watched as little snowflakes fell from the grey and dull looking sky. Usually how I would feel if I found out Claire had shifted without me knowing. I pictured me walking through the woods on an afternoon stroll after school had ended. I heard a twig pop and I saw a wolf stand before me. It bowed down and bowed it's head. The wolf was dark grey with a white muzzle and under belly. It's blue eyes showed fear and a tear fell from it's eye.

My heart ached. Why do I always feel this way once Claire shifts? The question seemed to roam around my head as I continued to think the answer but as I long as I tried it never came. My phone ran and I got a text it was from Danielle's boyfriend Andrew. I sighed and slid down the screen to answer it. I tapped my foot on the seal while I listened to my IPod.

**_Baby, I think I've lost my mind_**  
**_ Feels like you crashed into my life_**  
**_ I keep on losin' track of time_**  
**_ I'm so messed up, yeah_**

**Andrew: sup bro**

**Nathan: nothing just missing my girlfriend**

**Andrew: Ah the usual. You know you practically see each other every day**

I pulled back and sat the screen with dim writing on it on my chest. How could I com up with a possible excuse to make him believe me? I couldn't tell him the actual answer. If I did Claire would rip the living daylights out of me. I though of more excuses and finally came up with one. I picked the phone back up.

**Nathan: oh you know how relationships r Andrew**

**Andrew: oh do I?**

**Nathan: yes you do**

**Andrew: how exactly?**

**Nathan: for example you are dating Danielle and I know you two miss each other often**

**Andrew: Ok? I don't see you're point dude**

**Nathan: what eve's I have to go do homework**

**Andrew: KK**

I shut the phone lid and placed it back on two the seal. Would I always be normal? Or would Claire continue to be the mythical creature? Or somehow will he dad find another cure besides meningitis? I didn't know the answer to any of those questions but I knew they needed the answer to them and I also knew I would have to go and I find out myself. I had to find Claire.

**Claire**

.. .. .. ..

I awoke suddenly, feeling my bones and body ache. I didn't feel normal and I couldn't even remember the last fifteen minutes ago or how long I had been passed out. I opened my eyes, sat up and looking into my door mirror. Dammit I had shifted now I was a werewolf instead of my human form. I was Claire trapped inside a wolf's body trying to make it out. But whatever I tried I couldn't.

I stretched my tired paws on the floor and a breath escaped from my nose. it was cold and deep. I needed to find a way to escape without my parents knowing I had shifted. Cole would drug me with his vile of infected meningitis for sure just make sure I didn't shift for awhile.

My ears pricked as I heard a bird cry outside the window. I no-longer had my good human looks but I still had my deep icy blue eyes. I heard footsteps trample up the floor I wasn't shocked until I realized they were my parents. I hoped they would opened my door and then walk away while I was hidden in the bathroom then I could bolt out the door and to the Golden Wood. The knob turned as I swallowed a growl in my throat which was all raspy and dry since I shifted. I needed to find a way to bolt.

I found that my window was still open from when Nathan was here. I looked down and realized it was a 3ft drop which would kill me for sure if I took my chances. I heard the door creak open so without regretting I hoped out the window and landed in a prickly thorn bush. I bushed off my hind legs and bolted to the forest. Once I was sure that I was far enough from my house I pulled back my ears and let a out a howl to let the others know I was coming. The moon was still full and my paws felt cold and achy from them scrapping in the deep cold snow.

I continued to search for the Boundary Wood, my ears twitching every so often once I heard a noise. I thought about stopping at a near by pond or lake but that would only take up my time which was not what I intended to do. I had to get back to the pack before sunrise and Tom Culpeper made his early runs in the forest. There was a name in my head I couldn't quiet make out but then I remembered all the times of when we kissed. But then I remembered all of them. **_Nathan, Steffony, Payton, Danielle, Andrew, Jeffery, mom: Grace, dad: Sam. _**My heart began to ache as I thought about Nathan and about our kiss before we shifted. My palms sweating and shaking. My mind going blank until he made the move.

The night grew darker and silencer as my paws continuously scrapped against the frozen ground. I smelt my own scent on my fur as I continued to run thinking off him. _ He'll come find you Claire. He always does._ I shook my head and searched for a near by cave to stay for the night and then continue my search tomorrow. I heard a twig pop and then complete silence: I bared my teeth while scanning the area. Nothing. I heard another one pop but this time catching a figure standing in between two formed trees. It was a human boy. And to my senses I was right.

But he was holding fresh cold meat in his hand, his brown eyes with flecks of hazel in them on mine. I swallowed a deep growl in my throat and approached him. Carefully. I smelt his hand while I still eyed the meat. He dropped it onto the ground and I snatched it catching a leaf with it. The tasteful feeling on my jaws and dry throat was somehow appealing to me.

I blinked and saw the figure getting blurry. I could no longer feel my paws or any part of my wolf body. I felt the sky go black above me with no warning I was lying flat on the ground as I slowly closed my eyes. Letting out my last breath. My nose twitched as I felt being lifted into a large truck of some sort. I felt my nose twitch once more after I smelt his scent on my fur pelt. Nathan.

**Nathan**

.. .. .. .. ..

it felt weir drugging my wolf girlfriend and throwing her into the back of my trunk. Completely suicidal. I sighed and made my way back to my house hurrying before she shifted into a human, and once I found her I would see her lying in my trunk clothe less and snow coating her cheek. I arrived at my house on time and noticed my parents, brother and sister weren't here which I thought was a perfect way to sneak Claire inside, lend her some clothes, and keep her warm so she didn't shift.

I bit my mouth as I drove, tasting blood. The steering wheel was cold against my fingers I had to keep pulling down my sleeves on my shirt to keep myself warm. The wind was blowing cold outside as snow came piling down coating the ground a pale white. I turned on my street and parked in my driveway close to the door incase she shifted human or wolf on the way.

I shut the car door and popped open my trunk. I noticed she had shifted while I drove. _Dammit _was all I said lightly. I watched her lift her head. Her curls still in place but her arms and legs muddy. "Nathan?" She asked as I became more visual to her. "Yes?" I asked handing her my coat to drape herself over like a towel so she didn't freeze.

"I had the weirdest dream. I was wolf and I was drugged by a human then all of a sudden I ended up in my boyfriend's car." She wrapped the car around herself and blinked her eyes realizing what she had dreamed actually happened. "Awe Damn." She looked at me and her cheeks blushed red. I cupped her chin in my palms. "Your not offended by seeing me you know what are you?" She asked her voice raspy and dry. "Um, no I totally understand." I placed my arm across her waist as she held the top of the coat. "Now come on let's get you dressed and warm."

I opened the door and the lights on. I told her to go to my sister's room and get some clothes while I made my way into the kitchen to put the tea kettle on. She nodded and ran upstairs in a flash. I watched as the flame grew out from under the kettle and grabbed two coffee mugs out of the cabinet. I found a tea bag and placed it in. Claire walked back down stairs and into the kitchen to retrieve her mug. She wore light blue boot cut jeans, a navy blue laced long sleeve shirt with a hoody, she had her hands placed on her hips once she sat down her tea.

"Why am I here?" She asked I sat my tea down after I swallowed hard. "Um, I drugged you." She picked up her mug and placed it carefully into her lap. "And why the hell did you drug me?" I placed my cup in my lap and sighed. "I hate when you shift." I replied my voice hesitant. She smiled and I leaned over to kiss her lips. I was glad to have her in my arms. she pulled back and drank from her cup. I heard a door slam outside and laughter follow. I dropped my hot tea on the carpet and walked to the window and peeked behind the lace curtains.

Sure enough as I had thought it was my parents, brother, and sister returning from apparently getting dinner. _Oh no._ I pulled back and noticed Claire was standing before me gripping her cup her hands making her knuckles turn white. I bowed my head and looked at my shoes. "You better go." She pulled a strand of hair behind her ear and sat down her mug on the table. "But, no one has to know." She replied. I closed my eyes and walked to the back door. "Please go." I said sliding op the sliding glass door.

She jumped once she heard the knob turn on the door. "Oh no." I kissed her forehead and she was gone. Leaving the wind to care for her. I didn't know how much yelling I was going to get yelled at so I stayed put where I was standing before. Claire's breath still lingering in the air.

**Claire**

.. .. .. ..

I ran faster than I ever had as a human. My heart pounding in my chest and the fabric of my shirt itchy against my skin. The snow was coming down harder as I ran my breaths equal to each other. I reached my house, opened the front door, and hurried up to my room to fin my parent's hovering above my bed with their hands placed to their hips. They had probably searched through my stuff to find proof that I shifted although my ripped clothing and absence said it all.

"You shifted didn't you." My dad asked me looking like he was going to blow a fuse. "Yes." I nodded and sat down on my bed reaching for my PJs. "We told you not to. or to at least try not to." My mom answered placing her hands on her hips. I noticed her dirty blonde hair was clipped up high with a hair clip. I told her it made her look like a house mom. "What the hell Claire?" I stood up and put my hands up as a defense. "Dad, look I'm sorry. You know I can't control it." He removed his hands from his hips and sighed. "I know you can't stop it. I just want you to try to control it better ok bug?" I looked at both of them. "Ok, I was trying not to shift but it just happened." My parents sat beside me on my bed and my dad placed his hand on my thigh.

"And it's even more dangerous now that the town's offal's found the peninsula and the wolves and now Tom Culpeper is leading another hunt. It's too dangerous to shift now." My mom said wiping a tear from her face. I sighed and bowed my head. "Did you help kill him Claire." My head perked up. "No. That was the night I didn't even shift it was too hot remember." "From now on Bug we want you to stay here until we get home after school." I nodded and scratched the back of my neck feeling my stomach churn.

My mom placed her hand on my thigh and looked into my eyes. "What we are trying to say is just be more careful." They kissed my forehead and walked out of the room and back downstairs. I dashed into the bathroom to change standing on the heating vent as I did so. I walked back out of the room and fell back onto my bed. I sat up and pulled the covers to my chest. I opened my book and read. I felt my eyes closing and felt the book fall from my hands and into my lap still on the page I was on.

I listened to the sounds of the wind blowing outside as I lured myself to sleep. Wolves howled outside still expecting my presence and not my absence. I felt like howling back but they wouldn't recognize my poor human howl. I rubbed my hands against the fabricated quilt. My nose twitched whenever I smelt Nathan on it including my pillow. I crossed my legs under my blanket to keep warm. They felt like ice against the warmness my body was producing. I could my parent's voices downstairs as they enjoyed themselves. I finally closed my tired eyes for sleep.

**Nathan**

.. .. .. .. ..

I laid in my bed listening to the wind. Hoping Claire had made it safely back to her house. I thought about calling her but I knew she wouldn't pick up since it was past midnight. I let the wind and darkness lure me to sleep. My hand drifted from side to side creating shadow figures on the wall. The cold wind blowing against my cheek. I ran my fingers through Rascal's fur counting his breaths as I did so.

I stared up at the ceiling imagining her running up to me from the Golden Wood. Her light brown curls still in place. Her blue eyes filled with tears. I'd take her in my arms and never let go and tell her _this is home. This is where you belong. _I turned over to my side and closed my heavy eyelids. Finally falling asleep.

**Claire**

.. .. .. ..

The sun shone through the window casting a light shadow on my face. I blinked and blinked again as I sat up in my bed checking the time on my alarm clock. I stretched and stepped onto the cold carpet in my bedroom.

The carpet was cold against my bare toes as I made my way over to my walk in closet. I searched on my shelves until I found a set of clothes I had already picked out. A navy blue laced quarter sleeve, light blue ripped jeans, a neck long treble clef necklace, silver hoop earrings, my leather brown lace up boots, and a white tank to wear underneath my shirt.

I picked up my folded clothes and walked to the bathroom. Then sat them down on the rug. I splashed water in my face and dried it off with a towel. I placed my contacts in and slipped into my clothes. I recurled my hair and took a swig of mouth wash. I sprayed on some of my Beautiful Day perfume and walked downstairs to find my mom searching through the fridge.

"You up to go to school?" She asked as she took a carton of milk out and sat it down on the counter. I scratched the back of my neck and sat down at on of the stools at the island. "I don't want to but yeah I am up for it." "Mmmk." She reached for the eggs and sat them down on the counter closing the refrigerator door. My dad came down stairs and sat his phone on the counter as he sat down on one of the stools beside me.

"Morning Grace and Claire." His smelt of aftershave and pine. I took a swig of the orange juice my mom had pored for me before I sat down. "God, dad why do I always have shift?" He sighed and folded his hands on the counter. "You know I can't answer that." I bowed my head. "Yeah I know." I turned to my mom who was whisking an egg. "Mom?" She sighed and bowed her head and let go of the whisk. "I don't know either." I sipped from my drink. "You know we still search around for possible cures." My dad said staring into my blue eyes while I stared into his yellow ones.

"You do?" I asked. "Yeah, we don't want to continue using that infected meningitis on us." I blushed. "Well that's good to know then." I finished my cup and watched my mom scoop scrambled eggs onto three plates. I scarfed down my food and washed off my plate. I grabbed my converse school bag and my keys. Then shut the front door and made my way to my car and placed the keys into the ignition.

I placed both my hands on the wheel and continued to turn the windshield wipers on and off to keep the snow of my front window.

Nathan

.. .. .. .. ..

I sat in my desk worried that Claire wouldn't show up to class and come walking through the door. I wanted to see her icy blue eyes and smile light up the room. Fifteen minutes went by and still nothing. I tapped my pencil on my desk while I waited for Mrs. Arrington to put on the video she wanted us to take notes on. Twenty minutes went by and I heard the door open and her walk through it. "Ahh Ms. Roth your twenty minutes late to class." Mrs. Arrington complained as Claire handed her the tardy slip. "I know I'll try not to be so late again." Claire apologized, I could hear the honesty in her voice.

"Take you're seat then." Mrs. Arrington walked away and back over to her desk. Claire walked over to where I was sitting and sat down next to me. She pulled out her notebook, mechanical pencil, water bottle, and sat the rest of her stuff under the desk. "Why were you so late?" I asked as she sighed. "My dumb car wouldn't start." She replied sounding angry. "Do you want me to take a look at it after lunch?" I asked. "No, it's fine it just needed gas." She sighed. "Mmm." I nodded and searched underneath and on my desk for my water bottle.

"So about this shift thing. Do you only shift at night?" I asked. "Um, well I shift when it's cold but mostly I have been shifting at night. I guess you've noticed." She blushed and rubbed her arm. "I can tell when you shift. I can identify you're howl. Yours sounds the best out of all of them." She laughed and crossed her legs. "Oh yeah?" I laughed and punched her softly on the arm. "Yeah." I laughed and she punched me back. "Flirting are we?" Mrs. Arrington asked as she lifted her head from the screen trying to find the video.

We stopped laughing and looked at each other. "oops." Claire whispered. I nodded and picked up my pencil and looked down at my paper. She looked down at her paper, crossed her arms and took a deep breath.

We continued to whisper back and forth to each other waiting for one of our responses. Claire stretched and sipped from her water bottle. She pulled down the sleeves of her Hollister hoodie and rubbed her hands together. "It's cold in here." Claire said picking up her pencil. "Yeah" I replied while popping my knuckles.


End file.
